Banana French Toast

I don’t quite know what prompted it, but for an entire summer, my youngest brother had to have French toast before camp. What might have started as a special breakfast soon became the breakfast. Every day. And with time, his demands seemed only to grow. It had to have the crusts removed. It needed to be in the shape of a circle. It had to come with powdered sugar.

Sometimes we’d all have French toast, but more often than not, we were content with cereal. No matter. He stuck to his guns. And Mom faithfully complied, serving up French Toast, then rushing us all off to camp.

On this Mother’s Day, why not turn the tables, and make your mom French toast – Banana French Toast.

French toast, incidentally, is called “pain perdu” in France, which means “lost bread.” French bread, it seems, dries out quickly, becoming a lost cause. But once lost, it can be revived, into what we call French toast. Given its origins, I like to use a good French loaf. You can also use brioche or challah, whose high egg contents help complement the dish’s ingredients.

2. In a blender, purée the bananas, vanilla, egg, egg whites, and milk. Place the bread in long pan and pour the batter over the slices. Allow the bread to soak until it is soft and almost falling apart.

3. Using a spatula, slip the bread onto the griddle, and cook until lightly browned on each side – about three and a half minutes for each side. Dust with Confectioners’ sugar ans serve warm with fresh berries or bananas, or both!

HELPFUL HINTS:

You can keep the French toast warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.